Professional Doctorate in Operational Excellence

The Professional Doctorate in Operational Excellence is a unique part-time degree designed to enhance professional education and practice through rigorous research into complex management issues. It is envisaged that students holding the Professional Doctorate will ultimately lead communities of practice in their specialist profession.

This programme is aimed at senior business professionals aiming to take their career to the next level.

The Professional Doctorate award is distinct from a PhD award in the following respects:

• The Professional Doctorate typically focuses on research ‘in’ rather than research ‘on’ organisations.
• The thesis produced at the end of the programme will make an original contribution to practice within the relevant professional area or areas.
• Considerable weight is given to the taught components of the programme.

Employers will benefit from supporting students on the programme developing and retaining key talent and building knowledge for competitive advantage.

For full details, please email our team via bleu@buckingham.ac.uk

• A master’s degree from a recognised institution comparable/ equivalent to a British level 7 degree.
• A minimum of 5 years management experience at a senior level with practical knowledge of business or public organisations.
• A draft research proposal must be submitted and all prospective students will be interviewed, either in person or remotely.
• If your first language is not English, you will also need an IELTS score of 7.5.

Applicants without a master’s degree may still be eligible based on their professional experience and qualifications.

Structure

Students will initially be registered for the degree of DProf. Their status will be probationary until all taught modules have been passed and the proposed research has been assessed as viable.

Each student will be assigned a supervisory team which will provide expert support throughout the taught and research components of the programme.

The first two years of the programme comprise taught modules that prepare students for doctoral level research in Operational Excellence. The taught modules are delivered through a series of nine 2.5 day workshops facilitated by internationally renowned researchers and practitioners. The taught modules are followed by a doctoral research project of 2 plus years.

Modules

Each of the taught modules will be summatively assessed by an individual written assignment. Some modules also include a summatively assessed individual presentation. Throughout the taught and research components of the programme supervisors will provide extensive formative feedback on draft work thereby ensuring that work submitted for summative assessment meets required standards.

The Programme consists of 540 credits: 180 credits at level 7 and 360 credits at level 8. The level 7 taught modules are:

Module 1: Designing a Professional Doctoral Research Project (20 credits).

Module 2: Theory & Contemporary Thinking in Operational Excellence (40 credits).

Module 3: Engaging with a Relevant Body of Knowledge (60 credits).

Module 4: Methodological Frameworks Data Collection (60 credits).

Students who successfully complete the programme will be awarded a Professional Doctorate in Operational Excellence (DProf).

Students who successfully complete all taught modules will be eligible to graduate with a step-off award of Master of Business Research (MBusRes) if doctoral level research is not pursued.

Graduates will acquire a widely-respected qualification that clearly demonstrates their intellectual capacity and their ability to innovate and problem-solve.

The programme will also provide global and local networking opportunities – ideas and research experiences will be debated with other students and with faculty.

The fee above is for the first four years of the Professional Doctorate in Operational Excellence. Year 5 plus any further optional research years cost 50% of the full course fee (£3,825 per year for UK/EU students and £6,975 per year for international students).

A Postgraduate Doctoral Loan can help with course fees and living costs while you study. Find out more information and check your eligibility.

Due to the mode of study on this course you will not normally need a room in University accommodation during your degree.

However, if you require short-term accommodation in Buckingham we would be happy to provide a list of local bed and breakfast or hotel accommodation. Alternatively, please contact our Accommodation Office for advice.

Apply directly

You can apply directly using our online application form – all you need to do is click the ‘apply’ button at the top of this page.

Help and support

If you need any help making your application or if you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to get in touch by email, or by phone on +44 (0)1280 820227. We are available between 09:00 and 17:00, Monday to Friday.

You may find it useful to download these great tips from Which University? on writing your personal statement.

Current applicants

If you would like to make any changes to your current application, please email (and make sure you have your application number ready!).